A Slice of: The Bear
Not the coat wearing, marmalade in his hat kind.
(Just in case you don’t feel like reading, I’ve read aloud and recorded today’s letter for you. You’re welcome!)
Oh, there’s another letter in your mailbox today!
Today’s envelope is covered in… marmalade stains, and bread crumbs…? You peel the sticky flap open and unfold the letter inside. It reads:
“Dearest darling-est friend,
Have you been watching The Bear? The one that wears blue and teaches people about food.”
(One bear comes to mind.)
”No, not that bear. I mean the television show. The one about chaos, cooking, and cousins. You know, the one with the very weepy eyed man.
Well, recently I finished watching season 2, and it made me very hopeful about life, being a creative, and making strides towards setting myself up for growth and success.
After a brief spiral into videos of chefs organizing their kitchen, and research into how restaurants are very serious about the kind of tape they use, I filled my online shopping cart with deli containers, tape, and miscellaneous bins.
With that, I spent a few hours the other night organizing all of my pantries, labeling all of my spices, and re-housing them into an array of deli containers. It was incredibly satisfying, and I’ve found that it has really helped me in being able to see what I have at a glance, without being overwhelmed. I also noticed that I had a habit of purchasing the same ingredients repeatedly, and opening new packages, because I had forgotten I already had them (classic ADHD.) This new organization system so far has improved my overall quality of life, and made it a lot quicker for me to find stuff. It’s also a bonus that I can ask my partner to hand me certain spices without a reenactment of the high anxiety of restaurant staff at dinner rush recurring because we can’t find where anything is.
Anyway, all this to say, that although I am an illustrator in my day to day life/work, it helps to set an overall standard for the daily practices or rituals I have. I mean, the best work and the best creatives are made from just being alive, and from everything you do in that life. When I’m not drawing, I spend a lot of time cooking. I think in the long run improving the space where I enjoy a lot of my time will also improve the way that I approach art and my work. Does that make sense? Sometimes the best way to get better at drawing is by not doing it at all. It helps me have a healthier relationship with it as my full time job, and also as something I love to do. At least, that’s what I think.
I’ve really just been pondering what it means to grow. There are a lot of things in myself that I would like to change, or that I don’t feel is very positive on my character or sense of self. Lately, I feel like, I just want to be alive, do things that I like, and if I can make artwork from that, it would be really good too.
Are there things that you like to do in your life that really make you think “aaah, wow, I really am alive on this big, wonderful planet!” Or, do you have aspects of yourself you want to change and have steps on how you approach doing that? If so, could you tell me about them?
Toodaloo for now!
Sincerely-ing-est,
Lily”
(Attached to the letter, another drawing of: The Bear(s) for you)
Glad to hear you feel refreshed and ready to cook happily after organizing!! I love organizing, since it really does make life easier when you can look and know where things are. Something else that I love doing is sewing up clothes—a shorter hem here, a heart patch there to cover a stain. It makes me happy to be able to keep wearing clothes that aren’t brand new, and each with a little touch of uniqueness 🌟
I went out for dinner the first time in a while yesterday & when riding the bus I couldn't help but feel so happy looking at the the yellow dandelions peeking out of the soft, dewy grass after a rainstorm, the sunset over the river & the looming city skyline. It's the little things that make the world feel so big & vast & beautiful & I feel lucky to be able to have these experiences when I am able to experience them!
For me, just going out, talking to friends, meeting friendly strangers, even people watching at brunch... it helps me feel connected to the larger world around me! Like, I really am living on this planet with so many people on it! I exist too! Knowing that there's so many people out there just living life, maybe even doing what they love, maybe even making a living doing what they love... it helps me feel reassured that there's a place for me in this world, no matter how small. I hope you always feel like you belong in this world too, Lily!! 💛 :)